Tag Archives: China

     â€‹In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
      
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
      
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
      
     From noon on January 17 to noon today (January 18), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 79 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
      
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
      
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
     (www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
      
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 25 952 samples of food imported from Japan (including 17 303 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 7 318 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (January 18) the introduction of electronic services for the application for Certificate of Registered Particulars.

     From now on, applicants can apply for a Certificate of Registered Particulars online, and choose to receive the relevant Certificate by post, without having to attend a Registration of Persons Office in person.
 
     Under the Registration of Persons Ordinance, an identity card holder can apply for a Certificate of Registered Particulars showing the particulars registered in his/her identity card records, such as name, residential address, date of birth, place of birth, marital status and name of spouse. Moreover, under the following circumstances, the ImmD may issue a Certificate of Registered Particulars in respect of a deceased person to the relative/next-of-kin of the deceased showing the particulars registered in the deceased person’s identity card records:
 

• for application for a Certificate of Entitlement for the deceased’s natural child; or
• for burial arrangements or relocation of a burial site for the deceased; or
• for emigration arrangements; or
• for administration of the deceased’s estate.

     A spokesman for the ImmD reminded that applicants are required to register an “iAM Smart+” account and perform a digital signing with legal backing before they can apply for a Certificate of Registered Particulars online. The applicant may complete the entire application process through the ImmD mobile application, or by visiting the ImmD’s website or the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/idcard/applycrp.htm) without having to visit a Registration of Persons office in person.

     Apart from the online application, members of the public may continue to apply through the existing method. Regardless of the application method, the application fee remains unchanged. For further information on the application method and details of the application for a Certificate of Registered Particulars, please visit the ImmD’s website at www.immd.gov.hk. Enquiries can be made by phone on 2824 6111, by email to enquiry@immd.gov.hk or by fax on 2877 7711. read more

     To further promote the "1 to N" transformation of research and development (R&D) outcomes and industry development, the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme was launched in October… read more

     Two co-owners were convicted and each sentenced to three months’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts early this month for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).
 
     The case involved an unauthorised ground floor structure with an area of about 80 square metres on a village house in Kau Lung Hang, Tai Po. The ground floor unit and the garden are co-owned by two owners. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without the prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owners under section 24(1) of the BO.
 
     Failing to comply with the removal order, the two owners were prosecuted by the BD in 2018 and 2022, and were fined $22,240 in 2018 and $33,000 in 2022 upon conviction by the court. As the owners persisted in not complying with the removal order, the BD instigated prosecution against the owners for the third time. The two owners were convicted again and each sentenced to three months’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on January 2, 2024.
 
     A spokesman for the BD said today (January 18), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. The concerned owners must comply with the removal order without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement actions and consider instigating prosecution against the owners again at appropriate times if they persist in not complying with the order, so as to ensure building safety.”
 
     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. read more

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, yesterday (January 17, Davos time) where he met with political and business leaders from various countries attending the meeting.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, Mr Chan met with a number of financial and economic officials from the Middle East and Central Asia, including Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy, Mr Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr Abdulla Adel Fakhro; the Minister of Finance of Qatar, Mr Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari; and the Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, Mr Alibek Kuantyrov.

     At the above bilateral meetings, Mr Chan pointed out that as a link and platform for promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong can make unique contributions in areas such as fostering regional financial connectivity, expanding trade, and fostering cultural exchanges. Noting that countries in the Middle East and Central Asia have been actively promoting economic diversification and green transformation in recent years, Mr Chan welcomed them to make use of Hong Kong’s highly efficient and robust financial market to facilitate the development, promotion and financing of enterprises and projects, and to achieve better development together in a mutually beneficial and complementarity manner.

     In addition, Mr Chan and Mr Yau also met with the Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy, Mr Giancarlo Giorgetti, and the Governor of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, Mr Julio Velarde Flores respectively. They exchanged views on the current global financial environment, geopolitical situation, and green transformation.

     During a keynote speech at a luncheon, Mr Chan said that China continues to be open to the world with its economy steadily growing. Embracing international collaboration in technology-driven industries and supply chain, China will continue to create a strong momentum for the development of the world economy. With the unique advantages of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong is striving to enhance its position as an international financial centre, fast-tracking the development of the international innovation and technology hub, and play the role of a bridge between the Mainland and the world so as to forge win-win co-operation.

     In the evening, Mr Chan joined the China Night of the WEF Annual Meeting and delivered a speech at the dinner to introduce how Hong Kong has utilised its role as a connector, bridge and gateway to assist in the economic development of China and Asia.

     Mr Chan also received interviews by a number of Hong Kong, Mainland and international media agencies to address issues of concern.

     Mr Chan will continue his fourth day of visit to Davos today (January 18, Davos time).

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